It may only be February, but have you started to think about your compliance training for 2023?  We know that it can be hard to find the right compliance provider whose style matches your organizations. With Go1, you have multiple providers to select from, ensuring your compliance content meets the needs of your company.  Check out a few of our outstanding compliance content partners below.

What content partners should you check out this month?

Topic coverage: Compliance, Harassment, Data Compliance, Health and Safety, Privacy

155 courses in Premium, ranging from 25 minutes to 2 hours

Top courses: Preventing Discrimination and Harassment; Workplace Diversity, Inclusion, and Sensitivity; Code of Conduct Essentials

Award-winning Sexual Harassment program (Available in English and Spanish)

High-quality video-based learning with interaction and assessments

10+ courses in Premium, 20 minutes in duration 

Top courses: Work Health and Safety (Australia); Work Health and Safety (Australia); Sexual Harassment (Australia); Workplace Bullying (Australia); and, Privacy (Australia) 

Topic coverage:  Health & Safety; Financial Compliance; Data Compliance; Management; Construction; Education

120+ courses in Premium ranging from 10 to 100 minutes in duration 

Top courses: Ladder Safety, GDPR, DSE, Whistleblowing, Anti-Bribery

Courses approved by CPD, IOSH, ROSPA, IIRSM, IATP, CITB, Skills for Care 

Languages: UK English and machine-translated in 30+ languages  

What great new content have our current content partners added to the Content Hub?

Over 2000 titles have been added to the Go1 Content Hub in the past month. Below are some highlights of those additions.

Coorpacademy has added over 430 new titles in the past month, each of them available in English, French, and German (over 1300 new courses total). Specializing in contemporary content needs and aligned with the World Economic Forum’s top skills, new titles from Coorpacademy range from The New KPIs to 5-minute Yoga for Better Digestion and from Hire and Coach Qualified Salespeople to Understanding the Blockchain.

lawpilots has increased their content offering with 230+ new courses available in 35 different languages. With an engaging UX and frequent scenarios, topics include anti-corruption, conflicts of interest, export control, anti-money laundering, data protection, and information security.

Mind Channel now has over 25 sleek new microlearning courses in English and French. Ranging from 6 to 12 minutes in duration, new titles include Introduction to Continuous Improvement, Developing Female Leaders, UX Design & User Experience, and Hand and Power Tool Safety.

Packt has added 30 additional courses on popular tech topics. New titles, which range from 94 to 873 minutes (that’s over 14 hours!) include Learn Power BI, HTML Tutoring for Beginners, Salesforce Anti-Patterns, Mobile development with .NET MAUI, Building Analytics Teams, and Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Certification and Beyond.

Pinktum has expanded their content offering with over 200 new courses available in six languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, and Chinese. This latest batch of titles from this customer favorite includes Unconscious Bias – Recognizing and Reducing Prejudices and Stereotypes, Becoming More Productive and Satisfied at Work, Successfully Leading Hybrid Teams, and Lateral Leadership — Leading Effectively Without Being a Supervisor.

Thomson Reuters is in the midst of refreshing their content catalogue, and as a result they have added over 40 new courses in 15 languages. Topics from this renowned compliance provider include anti-money laundering, whistleblowing, data privacy and security, and business continuity management. 

BizLibrary has refreshed their library and added hundreds of new courses in all topics, from leadership and mental health to Microsoft 365. *BizLibrary is restricted in some regions.

This week I looked for courses that would help with change management.  Like all organizations, Go1 is always looking for ways to grow and improve and often that comes with the need to lead others through those changes. Always looking scanning the library for different formats, I found the book summary of The Heart of Change by John Kotter and Dan Cohen from our content partner Soundview, who provides us with a number of executive book summaries.  This quick read gave some great information and advice on how to implement change, get buy-in, and make the change stick. I appreciated the format of this summary, with quick callouts and anecdotes.

For more insights, subscribe to the Go1 newsletter to stay on top of all the latest L&D trends. Or, you can book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs. 

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It may only be February, but have you started to think about compliance training for 2023? Check out a few of our outstanding compliance content partners.

The Go1 Content Insider - February 2023 edition

Being a well-rounded educator leads to improved student learning, better engagement and personal career growth. The wide variety of skills enable the teacher to bring a plethora of perspectives and knowledge to their teaching, meet diverse student needs, and stay competitive in the job market.

This month, we’re thrilled to introduce our newest and widest range of courses, designed to help you achieve well-rounded excellence.

Which awesome content partners have we added to the platform?

Step up to the plate and bring the excitement of the Australian Football League to your primary students with the AFL’s teacher professional learning courses! With a suite of high-quality, curriculum-aligned materials and expert-led professional learning session, you’ll have everything you need to engage and inspire your students. Immerse yourself in webinars and videos packed with practical techniques and activities and watch your students’ skills soar as they discover the thrill of AFL.

Become a data-informed educator with Selena Fisk’s Data Literacy course. Learn how to sort through numbers, tell the real stories behind the data, and drive positive change in your school. Discover insights hidden in your data to exploit new opportunities and make informed decisions. Gain the skills to access, understand and effectively communicate data in a way that informs great decision-making. This course will equip you with a strategic approach to data and the confidence to have evidence-informed conversations in the classroom, shaping your pedagogical and program decisions.

Say goodbye to burnout and hello to happier, healthier educator with Daniela Falecki’s Five Foundations to Boost Educator Wellbeing course. As the founder and director of Teacher Wellbeing, Daniela brings over 20 years of expertise and a ‘keep-it-real’ approach to the education sector. Get ready to discover the five key aspects of wellbeing that you need to prioritise in order to thrive in your role as an educator or school leader. With Daniela’s passion and practicality, you will receive valuable insights and tools to help you boost your wellbeing and find balance in your life.

Which great content partners are coming soon to EC Premium?

Leon Furze will release a comprehensive course on Practical Reading Strategies, based on his successful and effective book. His approach presents six effective reading strategies through interactive activities, clear instructions, practical examples and theoretical foundations. Secondary teachers will be equipped to elevate their students’ literacy capacities after taking this course. 

Sound Supports offers courses for schools seeking to implement Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Specifically, they hone in on building effective systems, utilising data-based decision making, and implementing evidence-based practices for improved student outcomes. 

CrookED Science is an award-winning STEM education consultancy founded by STEM expert Dr. Simon Crook. Their evidence-based courses will support primary and secondary schools, teachers and students to access the highest quality STEM education, anywhere.

Check out a short preview of the course by The Cybersafety Project: Creating Cybersafe Communities. Their mission is to provide a whole community approach focused on developing future skills, lifelong habits and self-regulation when innovating and using digital technologies to work, live and play.

Cyber Safety Project: Digital Habits of Young People

Our Featured Playlists are included in all schools’ Learning Hubs and are a great way to see a variety of high-quality content from different providers, all with just one click!

This month, we’re calling all Maths Teachers! With a handful of Maths teachers in the EC team and a few brilliant Content Partners, we just HAD to put together a Maths-focussed playlist! And the best part? It’s not just professional development! Find some awesome classroom resources that you can use today. From activities to thought experiments, games to questions, discover lessons that can adapt to any year and ability level.

Help your students feel confident in ‘playing’ with numbers and see just how beautiful maths can be. Check out this month’s featured playlist, Beautiful Maths, on your learning hub today!

At the start of this month, the Moorooduc Primary School engaged in a whole-school EC Premium workshop to launch the platform with their dedicated Education Success Manager. Staff were supported to access their account, search the library, and engaged in learning on the platform in the one-hour sessions. Staff also made a commitment to themselves and their team regarding the learning they aim to complete in Term 1 of 2023.

The Moorooduc Learning Hub was set up in line with the school Strategic Improvement Plan with a focus on tangible and practical learning in their chosen improvement areas. The Senior Leadership Team has created an assigned learning journey for all staff who will engage in the whole school Professional Learning via the EC Premium platform.

Get in contact with your Education Success Manager if you would like to organise a launch workshop with your staff, to get excited and begin learning on your school’s learning hub. If you’re interested in how we can design a learning hub for your staff based on your Strategic Improvement Plan, reach out to us today via ec.inc! 

As Chief Learning Officer, Maddie leads our content and learning design team to ensure that every professional development course we host on EC premium, and every professional learning program that we run with schools are of the highest quality.

Maddie brings deep academic credentials to the team and is a graduate of three master’s degrees in education and education leadership. As a former teacher, a very experienced K-12 learning consultant and the architect of some of our biggest state and national projects over the last decade, Maddie knows what it takes to build and run great professional learning in schools.

Maddie is a whale chaser (which means she loves whales, travels the world searching for different species, and then kayaks to within a safe distance and says nice things to them).

Embrace February by prioritising your own professional development. Make this season one filled with dynamic techniques to create a heartwarming impact.

The EC Premium Content Insider – February 2023 edition

Embrace February by prioritising your own professional development. Make this season one filled with dynamic techniques to create a heartwarming impact for your students and staff.

Go1 was delighted to welcome Queensland Treasurer, Member for Woodridge and long-time friend of the company, Hon Cameron Dick MP to our Logan office today.  

Go1 Co-founder, Vu Tran took the Treasurer on a tour of the construction site for our new Logan headquarters. 

“This headquarters affirms Go1’s commitment to making Logan our home. We look forward to moving in very soon,” Dr Tran said. 

“We often get asked why we have our headquarters in Logan and our answer is always – why not? Logan has the workforce, ingenuity and diversity Go1 needs to succeed.”  

“We believe that the success of Logan and similar communities around Australia is crucial to our success as a nation.” 

“Go1 has the goal to reach one billion learners globally, we want to democratise education and unleash positive potential through a lifelong love of learning.” 

“The Treasurer is welcome back anytime.”   

Queensland Treasurer, Hon Cameron Dick MP and Go1 Co-founder, Vu Tran

For more insights, subscribe to the Go1 newsletter to stay on top of all the latest L&D trends. Or, you can book a demo today to find out how Go1 can help with your team’s learning needs.

Go1 was delighted to welcome Queensland Treasurer, Member for Woodridge and long-time friend of the company, Hon Cameron Dick MP to our Logan office.  

Go1 welcomes Queensland Treasurer for a tour of our new Go1 Logan headquarters

Go1 was delighted to welcome Queensland Treasurer and Member for Woodridge, Hon Cameron Dick MP to our Logan office.   

Go1 welcomes Queensland Treasurer to tour new Logan Headquarters

How do you learn? If you ask the average person this question, they’ll probably recount a few standard answers; memorising facts, researching data, reading textbooks, discussing topics with friends or colleagues, or completing online courses. Some people may go a step further and consider themselves visual learners or aural learners (despite learning styles being a myth). While most of these are valid answers, they describe learning activities, rather than getting to the core of how we learn. 

At Go1, we believe it is vital to understand how we learn — to learn about learning, as it were. While this is a vast, complex topic, and there is much we still don’t understand about our brains,  neuroplasticity, or how we learn, a love of learning is a core component of what makes us human, so it is a worthy pursuit to understand learning on a deeper, more meaningful level. 

Thankfully, there are a variety of theories that describe how we learn. The five most common learning theories are constructivism, behaviourism, humanism, connectivism, and cognitive learning theory. 

In the coming months, we’ll be launching a learning theories series. Throughout this series, we’ll analyse each of the five most common learning theories to help you better understand how people learn. Already, you can check out our article on cognitive learning theory, and be sure to check back regularly in the coming weeks for more content on behaviourism, humanism, and connectivism. 

Today, we’ll kick off our learning theories series (say that five times fast!) by discussing constructivism, to help you understand constructivist learning theory. We’ll start by asking what constructivism is, before breaking down the types of constructivism and key constructivist principles, and finally analysing the benefits of constructivism for learning and development. 

Constructivism is one of the five most common learning theories, alongside behaviourism, humanism, connectivism, and cognitive learning theory. Constructivist learning theory posits that learning is an active and internal process whereby learners construct information based on their experience of the world. In this way, they build on a foundation of prior knowledge. 

The words ‘active’ and ‘internal’ are key to understanding constructivism, differentiating constructivism from many other learning theories. For example, behaviourism views learning as a passive process that happens in response to external stimuli, whereas constructivism views learning as an active process that happens internally. 

Think of constructivism like an architect designing a skyscraper: each new piece of knowledge is a brick that builds upon your pre-existing foundation. Just as we use mortar to bind bricks together to form a greater whole, constructivism encourages us to synthesise pieces of information to form a deeper, more well-rounded understanding of a given subject. 

As American psychologist Anita Woolfolk summarises, “​​learning is active mental work, not passive reception of teaching.” In this way, constructivism gives learners more control and agency throughout the learning process. 

The University of Buffalo expands on this definition, explaining, “[with constructivism] learners construct knowledge rather than just passively taking in information. As people experience the world…they build their own representations and incorporate new information into their pre-existing knowledge.” 

For example, a group of high-school students are asked to measure a piece of wood without using a ruler or measuring tape. Rather than simply stabbing in the dark, the students can bring their prior knowledge to the table to construct an informed guess. One student knows that they are 5 feet 11 inches tall, another adds that the heels on their standard-issue school shoes are 1.5 inches, while another knows the exact length of an A4 piece of paper. Using this pre-existing foundation of knowledge, they can construct a close estimate of the wood’s length. 

Thus, one of the key defining principles of constructivism is that each new piece of information builds on our prior understanding of the world, rather than each piece of knowledge being discreet. 

Accordingly, the University of Phoenix adds that “constructivists believe learning doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Instead, the theory suggests that people internally and unconsciously relate new information with existing information. In this way, learners actively “construct” their knowledge: They organise information into a unique, individualised base of knowledge.” 

To help solidify these definitions, most conceptions of constructivism outline a few shared, overarching principles. These are: 

1. Knowledge is constructed within learning environments.

2. People discover new ideas as they learn. That is, they learn about learning. 

6. Learning is personal, individual, and unique to the learner. 

7. Learning is an internal mental process, not a response to external stimuli. 

For a more detailed analysis of these constructivist principles, see this handy guide by Simply Psychology. 

Ultimately, while understanding an entire theory of learning can feel like a daunting task, keeping these eight simple principles in mind will go a long way to comprehending constructivism. 

Broadly, there are three main types of constructivism: cognitive constructivism, popularised by Jean Piaget, social constructivism, popularised by Lev Vygotsky, and radical constructivism, popularised by Ernst von Glasersfeld. Below, we will outline the key features of each type of constructivism.

Cognitive constructivism was popularised by Jean Piaget, expanding his theories of cognitive development. Cognitive constructivism is similar to the constructivist theories  we outlined above, emphasising that learning should tie in closely to the learners’ specific stage of cognitive development. 

According to the GSI Teaching and Resource Centre, “cognitive constructivism states knowledge is something that is actively constructed by learners based on their existing cognitive structures. Therefore, learning is relative to their stage of cognitive development. Cognitivist teaching methods aim to assist students in assimilating new information to existing knowledge.”

The University of Phoenix notes that cognitive constructivism was born out of frustrations with behaviourist learning theory, with many psychologists being “critical of behaviourism’s focus on behaviour that could be observed externally, and what they felt was its disregard for the internal psychology of individuals.” 

Lev Vygotsky popularised social constructivism. As the name suggests, social constructivism believes learning is an inherently collaborative and social process. According to social constructivism, learners develop knowledge from interactions with their peers, culture, and society. Therefore, learners rely not just on themselves to construct knowledge, but on others too.

While social constructivism builds on the pioneering work of Piaget, Vygotsky believed Piaget didn’t go far enough. Rather, he saw cognitive constructivism as a theory that “conceived of the learner as an independent entity absorbing information from the environment. That process could be seen as essentially spontaneous and independent.” In contrast, Vygotsky proposed that “learning could not be separated from its social context.” 

Finally, Ernst von Glasersfeld popularised radical constructivism. As the name suggests, von Glasersfeld proposed a far more radical notion of constructivism than either Piaget or Vygotsky.

As the University of Phoenix explains, “von Glasersfeld proposed that objective reality does not exist. In other words, he proposed that subjective knowledge constructions are the entirety of a person’s reality…whereas constructivists say that new knowledge (objective, shared) builds on existing knowledge (subjective, personal) Von Glasersfeld simply takes that concept to its most radical form: that at their most basic level, human beings grow what they know from a place of subjectivity.” 

Likewise, Simply Psychology notes that according to radical constructivism “the knowledge individuals create tells us nothing about reality, and only helps us to function in your environment. Thus, knowledge is invented, not discovered.” 

While this is a difficult concept for many to get their heads around (we don’t blame you if this one’s a head-scratcher), radical constructivism simply proposes that knowledge doesn’t offer us any objective, shared, or universal truth. Instead, it merely helps us to function and interpret the world around us. Therefore, all knowledge is subjective — it is ‘invented’ based on our interpretation, not ‘discovered’ based on absolute fact. Because of our inherent biases and limitations, von Glasersfeld believes it is impossible to construct an objective truth, so we have to make do with interpretations of knowledge, which will vary from person to person. 

For further insights, this helpful guide puts radical constructivism in von Glasersfeld’s own words. 

Now that we understand what constructivism is, common constructivist principles, and the different types of constructivism, it’s time to ask the big question: what are the benefits of applying constructivism over other learning theories? 

As we’ve alluded to, constructivism is a more active process than other learning theories, affording learners more agency, control, and ownership over what and how they learn. This, in turn, makes learners feel more engaged and invested in the learning process. 

By giving learners more agency and ownership over their learning, constructivism also helps to promote more diverse voices, ideas, and opinions. Moreover, it can aid students in developing crucial skills such as analysis, synthesis, critical thinking, and evaluation. This is because constructivism forces students to think more deeply and ‘join the dots’ to synthesise existing knowledge with new ideas. 

Constructivism (particularly cognitive constructivism) can also provide a more relevant and targeted approach to learning, as educators are encouraged to design lessons to suit their students' unique cognitive needs and abilities. By encouraging collaborative learning, students also have the opportunity to develop social skills. 

Don’t just take our word for it, several studies have quantified the benefits of constructivism for learning and development. For example, one study explored the benefits of constructivism for first-year environmental management students. To achieve this, students were “introduced to the idea of a learning or professional journal and provided with guidelines on its structure, but the content was very much of their own choosing.”

Accordingly, the researchers found that students became far more motivated and active participants in their study, using phrases like “I must commit myself here and [I am] at the centre of my own learning.” More specifically, researchers found that students were motivated by “their perception that the topic offered room for autonomy, independent learning, commitment, expanded conceptual understanding and improved capacity to reason.”

Finally, a study published by the Informing Science Institute found that students who followed a constructivist approach had better overall outcomes in terms of grades and motivation. They state, ​“students taught under the constructivist approach have higher mean scores, higher grades, and higher motivation levels as compared to their counterparts taught with other teaching approaches.”

We’ll kick off our learning theories series by discussing constructivism, to help you understand constructivist learning theory.

Understanding constructivist learning theory

We’ll kick off our learning theories series by discussing constructivism, to help you understand constructivist learning theory. 

Welcome to 2023! To get the new year started, we have launched a new 12 Months of Learning campaign, featuring new playlists, while keeping (and updating) a few standout topics from last year.  If you aren’t sure how to keep your learners engaged, check out these playlists for ideas on courses and topics you can use to help your learners keep their upskilling top of mind all year round.

Topic coverage: Health & Safety; Compliance; Mental Health; Soft Skills; Cyber Security

250+ courses, the majority of which are 15 minutes of less in duration; some titles are documents with recommended follow-up resources.

Playlists are available within the Go1 Content Hub

Courses are CPD accredited or IOSH approved

Top Courses: Remote Working 101, The GDPR Guru, Warning Signs

Topic Coverage: Harassment, Sexual Harassment

19 courses, ranging from 30 to 120 minutes

Courses are divided into real-life and relatable micro video sessions which are educational and entertaining

Languages: US-English, courses available with Spanish narration

Top Courses: Sexual Harassment and Abusive Conduct Prevention for Non-Supervisors and Supervisors (coverage for all 50 states available)

Topic Coverage: Leadership, Management, Personal Development, Soft Skills

1000+ courses, with a variety of durations

Interview style videos with experts in their fields

Plus, the Cutting Edge series, using scenarios to help learners connect their learning to real-life situations

Top courses: Appreciate Diversity and Inclusion, Accepting Change, Pick Me Up 

What new content partners have we added to the Content Hub?

Based in the UK, MindGym uses behavioral science to create content that equips companies to deliver business results. 

Topic coverage: General Management; Business Skills; Soft Skills; Personal Development; Collaboration; Managing Stress; Networking; Managing Change; Influencing Skills; Coaching; Goal Setting; Motivation

Offers a consistent UX with a modern look and feel, all under 15 minutes.

A few course recommendations:

Upskillist has added 139 new courses to the Content Hub. This collection of courses, each of which is 30 minutes in duration, ranges from hot topics in technology to how-to programming. Some example titles include E-commerce; Introduction to Prototyping; All about AI; The Evolution of Cryptocurrencies; Python Basics; and Advanced CSS.

Packt continues to grow their offering, adding 29 new in-depth courses to the Content Hub. With durations ranging from 4990 minutes (that’s three and a half days!) to 85 minutes, these courses provide up-to-date learning experiences with titles such as 101 UX Principles; CompTIA Security+ Certification SY0-601: The Total Course; Cyber Warfare – Truth, Tactics, and Strategies; and Job-Ready SQL in an Afternoon.

Marcom contributes a new series of six Safe Lifting courses tailored to different industries. The courses, each 30 minutes in duration, cover safe lifting in the following environments: Transportation and Warehouse; Office; Industrial; and Food Processing and Handling. They also cover the Healthcare environments for Medical Personnel, and Office and Maintenance Personnel. 

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to take courses in our library on topics that I’m not familiar with.  This week I took a course of becoming a physiognomist.  Not sure what that is?  I wasn’t either! This three-part course by Coorpacademy provides guidance on how to better remember people’s names and faces.  This course provides the science behind memorizing faces and name and actionable ways to increase your ability to do so. Definitely worth checking out.

What content partners should you check out this month? This edition highlights our 12 Months of Learning campaign to help learners keep upskilling at the top of their mind.

The Go1 Content Insider - January 2023 edition

Welcome back to our product release update blog! Read on to learn more about our new content curation tool and improvements to the playlist experience. 

In October, we launched a new way to help you quickly find the right content to support your learning programs. 

The Content Curation Tool allows Admins to generate hand-curated Playlists in the Go1 Platform to share, export, and deliver learning that meets your needs. 

Leveraging the Go1 Content Curation Team's expertise and staff picks, you can be confident that you are being recommended the best quality and most relevant content. 

You can now access all your Playlists in the new 'My Playlists' tab from the Dashboard. 

Within a Playlist, you can now reorder learning and add learning using our new Explore sidebar, among other updates. 

The Go1 research group aims to understand our customer's goals and objectives and how we can best help you achieve your desired business outcomes.

Sign up to give feedback on our Platform or learning in the flow integrations, and see what our Product team is working on by joining the Go1 research group.

Have a peek at what’s recently been released here at Go1 and learn all about the new features, including an exciting new curation tool and an improved playlist experience.

Product release round up October - December 2022

Today we are announcing that Go1 has acquired Anders Pink, an award-winning content curation provider based in the UK, to accelerate our ability to deliver and discover the world’s best learning content for learners, teams and organisations.

The massive proliferation of digital content designed to close skill gaps has illustrated the critical role that curation plays in achieving individuals’ learning goals. Anders Pink was built to directly support the demand for the curation of content assets from multiple content libraries and the web. It does this by creating targeted feeds of content on the topics and skills you want to track, keeping up to date in your learning platforms automatically.

Chris and I have known the founders of Anders Pink since 2019 and have a shared purpose in the value of curated content and intelligent recommendations to create the best learning experience.

For Go1 partners and customers, we will continue to keep you updated as we begin to integrate our new capabilities into our products.

Together, Go1 and Anders Pink will provide the world’s best learning content, served in an automated and focused feed, to help teams and organizations achieve their learning goals.

Go1 has acquired Anders Pink, an award-winning content curation provider for learning. Hear more from Go1 CEO Andrew Barnes.

Go1 acquires Anders Pink to provide best-in-class content curation capability for learners

We’ve all been there. You have a mountain of work to complete, and you’ve finally sat down to begin. Headphones in. Eyes forward. Phone set to silent. You’re fully focused. Then, suddenly, you feel a tap on your shoulder. A colleague needs to ask you an urgent question. Five minutes later, you’ve given a satisfactory answer, and you’re back to it. That was a bit frustrating, but not too bad. It was urgent, after all. 

Twenty minutes later, you receive an email from your boss that needs a quick reply. Then, it’s a Slack message. Then, your phone lights up, and you can’t resist the temptation. Then, you need to attend a meeting. Before you know it, two hours have passed, and between all these distractions, you’ve barely started on the work you desperately need to complete. 

Does this sound familiar? Unfortunately, for many of us, it should. According to a study by Time Magazine, the average office worker is interrupted a whopping 56 times per day. That’s right, 56. Even worse, 80% of these are considered trivial interruptions. As you can imagine, these interruptions add up quickly, leaving just 8.5 minutes between distractions on average in an 8-hour workday. 

So, we’ve examined the importance of focus time for workplace productivity. We’ll start by analysing the frequency of workplace interruptions, before looking at the relationship between distractions and productivity, and finally offering three concrete tips to reduce distractions and carve out some much-needed focus time. 

As we mentioned, the average employee is interrupted a lot. According to a study by ReclaimAI, the average worker spends 1.96 hours per day on unproductive tasks, with other studies finding that office workers spend 41% of their time on ‘low-value activities’. These findings make sense, as a typical worker is interrupted a whopping 56 times per day leaving an average of just 8.5 minutes between distractions.

Unfortunately, these statistics are only the tip of the iceberg. Research by Clockwise finds that 53% of employees waste at least one hour per day dealing with distractions — and one hour is a conservative estimate. 

Ever had that one Thursday afternoon meeting that you dread? It’s right in the middle of the day, just as you’re getting in the zone. Worse still, there’s no clear agenda, and most people leave feeling they’ve thrown half an hour down the drain. It’s the all too common cliche of a meeting that could have been an email. Now, imagine stacking those back to back, day after day. 

Unsurprisingly, meetings are a major source of workplace distractions. According to Indeed, the average employee attends 62 meetings per month. However, just 11% of workers believe that all of their meetings are productive, leaving far too many as unwanted  — and unnecessary —  distractions. 

It’s not just external distractions, such as meetings and colleagues, that interrupt employees — many employees are also guilty of interrupting themselves. We’ve all done it, with studies showing that 44% of the time, employees interrupt themselves by checking things such as emails or social media. 

For instance, the average worker spends 1 hour and 5 minutes reading news sites, 44 minutes browsing social media, and 90 minutes reading and replying to emails or Slack messages. In total, the average employee receives 200 notifications per day. That’s a lot of distractions!

More specifically, research by the University of California found that workers attend to a task for just three minutes on average before switching to something else, usually a form of electronic communication.  

All of these distractions add up quickly, with potentially disastrous effects. One study found that it takes the average employee 25 minutes and 26 seconds to completely refocus after being distracted. Other estimates put this figure at 23 minutes. Whatever the exact number is, it takes a long time to completely refocus, costing organisations hours of productivity every day. 

Not only that, but a study by Michigan State University found that even short interruptions, such as checking a text message, make you twice as likely to make mistakes in your work when attempting to refocus. 

The bottom line? The average employee is interrupted an extraordinary amount every day. These distractions result in a significant decrease in productivity and an increase in the likelihood and frequency of mistakes.

When focus time increases, so does productivity

Given this, it should be no surprise that there is an inverse relationship between distractions and productivity. When workplace distractions decrease, productivity increases. 

For example, Clockwise found that 78.9% of employees say the ideal length of uninterrupted time at work is 1-3 hours, while 82.7% of people add that they need at least this much uninterrupted time to get real work done. Moreover, 89.4% of people say they are more productive when they have blocks of uninterrupted time at work. 

Perhaps most importantly, 76.9% of employees agree with the statement: “my company brings in more revenue when I and my team have more blocks of uninterrupted time at work.” Not only does reducing distractions make employees more productive, but it also increases the bottom line. 

Additionally, Hubspot found that 86% of people prefer to work alone to minimise distractions and maximise productivity. Finally, Clockwise found that 75% of people feel more productive when distractions decrease, while 57% say they feel more motivated, and 44% say they deliver higher-quality work. 

Three essential tips to reduce distractions and increase focus time 

At first glance, this may seem counter-intuitive. How does taking more breaks help to reduce distractions? Aren’t you just working less? The answer is twofold. 

Firstly, by taking more breaks, you can address potential distractions, such as your phone or a chat with a coworker about the latest episode of your favourite show, during your break. As such, you will be free to focus once you return to work. 

Secondly, and more importantly, our brains need breaks to maintain productivity. Put simply, our brains are designed for sprints, not marathons. They need time to rest, reset, and consolidate knowledge. Without this, our brains cannot function optimally. 

For example, a 2016 study by psychologist Karrie Godwin found that, during longer lessons, primary school students were distracted about a quarter of the time. However, during shorter lessons with more frequent breaks, attention and engagement skyrocketed. Ultimately, they determined that it was more effective to give students more breaks, settling on several 10-minute lessons rather than fewer 30-minute lessons.

Despite this, a survey found that 39% of people occasionally, rarely, or never take breaks during the workday, while 22% feel guilty or judged when they take a lunch break. Not only is that unhealthy, but it's also a poor way to improve focus!

On the other hand, a study by Microsoft found that participants who took meditation breaks between meetings showed brainwave patterns with positive levels of frontal alpha asymmetry, which correlates with higher focus and engagement. In contrast, participants who didn’t take breaks had (you guessed it!) negative levels of frontal alpha symmetry, suggesting negative engagement during the meeting.

For further insights into this phenomenon, see our article on why our brains need breaks to maintain productivity. 

While scheduling focus time might sound straightforward, anyone who has worked in a busy office can attest that carving out dedicated time to focus is often anything but. As we’ve demonstrated, distractions and interruptions abound. 

So, how can you schedule focus time and actually stick to it? According to ClockWise, “blocking out time in your calendar for focus helps signal to yourself and to others that this time is valuable. To maximise focus, make it clear that you’re not available to meet or won’t address interruptions during your Focus Time.” 

While this may sound simple, the very act of intentionally blocking out ‘focus time’ in your calendar (or even telling colleagues about it directly) sends a strong message. With any luck, this may have dual benefits. Firstly, you will get the focus time you desperately need. Secondly, by setting a positive example, you may start a trend of blocking out focus time throughout the office, thereby reducing distractions overall.

Other helpful tips to reclaim focus time include: 

Using noise-cancelling headphones to block out distractions

Actively telling your colleagues not to interrupt you during a particular timeframe

Using online time management tools such as Reclaim AI or Clockwise, which can help to schedule focus time

3. Address the problem head-on with time management training 

Finally, we suggest getting everyone on the same page by providing dedicated time management training. Again, this may sound straightforward, but effective time management is something with which many people struggle. 

As Indeed explains, “many people don’t know how to manage their time effectively. Offering training in strategies such as the Pomodoro technique, time blocking and batching tasks can help your team start to develop focus time. This can help them gain a greater understanding of the need for dedicated concentration time and how to obtain greater focus.” 

By offering dedicated time management training, you will address the problem head-on and ensure everyone is committed to minimising non-essential interruptions. Often, time management training can be enlightening as people become more aware of distractions and time management errors they previously took for granted. 

They also become more aware of common time management mistakes (and the impact these have on others), such as chatting to a colleague when they’re trying to focus, booking unnecessary meetings, or checking emails too frequently. Usually, these actions aren’t malicious or intentionally distracting, but a symptom of poor time management or a lack of awareness. Ultimately, addressing the elephant in the room and educating everyone on these common pitfalls can be highly beneficial. 

To get started on better time management training for your team, check out Go1’s selection of world-class time management courses. 

We’ve examined the importance of focus time for workplace productivity, offering concrete tips to reduce distractions and carve out some much-needed focus time.

Reducing interruptions: why 'focus time' is essential for workplace productivity

Are you geared up for another thrilling year of professional learning and growth? Are you excited to dive into new challenges and opportunities, or are you feeling a bit apprehensive about swapping beach reads for textbooks and sandals for sensible shoes? Regardless of how you’re feeling, we’ve got you covered! 

At EC, we’ve been busy preparing some awesome resources over the holiday to help you hit the ground running and make the most of your school year. From effective teaching strategies to school leadership and coaching frameworks, and even tips for maintaining your wellbeing, we’ve got everything you need to start the year off on the right foot. So, let’s get organised and inspired for the journey ahead!

Harry Wong, the leading expert on teacher effectiveness in the US, has released a must-have course which is perfect for new teachers! Discover practical and easy-to-implement strategies for your classroom, including behaviour management, academic instruction, and setting high expectations for yourself and your students. You’ll have your new class running like a well-oiled machine in no time; get ready to transform your students into organised, independent learners.

Are you committed to promoting wellness in your daily life and work environment? Look no further. The Wellness Strategy, founded by Amy Green, has just launched a course based on her latest book, Teacher Wellbeing: A Real Conversation for Teachers & Leaders. This engaging video series will provide you with the tools and strategies you need to establish healthy habits early on and maintain them throughout the year. Get ready to feel your best, both inside and outside of the classroom!

Just landed a leading role? Are you looking to sharpen your coaching skills? Leader As Coach by At My Best is the perfect course for you. Take a dive into the importance of building trust and identify your strengths and areas for improvement to boost your effectiveness as a leader and as a teacher, and get ready to up your game and take your leadership skills to the next level.

Elevate your teaching efficacy with the expert guidance of one of the UK’s top authorities on assessment, Dylan Wiliam. In his course, you will gain valuable insights into best teaching practices and discover why formative assessment is crucial for student success. You’ll also learn how to effectively implement feedback strategies to help your students reach their full potential. 

Maree Burgess brings her corporate expertise to help school leaders and teachers master the art of delegation and strategic influence in her new course. Based on her book, Level Up, this online learning offers a wealth of strategies, tips and tricks to help you become a high-performing leader and lead your team to success. 

The team at Balanced Choice run programs with young people focussing on social, emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing. They work alongside these young people to show them how their choices develop who they are. The courses showcase how educators and support staff can engage, emotionally regulate and uplift students in the classroom.

Check out a short preview of the course by Amplify Music Education: Integrating Music in the Primary Classroom, where their mission is to democratise music education so that all primary teachers feel comfortable teaching music.

Amplify

Welcome back to 2023! At EC, we hope you are bloated, suntanned and daydreamy. All signs of a wonderful holiday break, full of friends and family.